LNER Toad D Brake Vans
* Thomas and Gordon |last_appearance=Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine |creator(s)=Wilbert Awdry |country_of_origin =* Island of Sodor * England |basis=BR standard 20 ton brake van |gauge= |vehicle=Rolling stock |type=Goods brake van |wheels=4 |railway=North Western Railway }} The BR 20 Ton Brake Vans are a standard type of goods brake van. These are added to the back of a goods train and a guard rides in it. Each brake van is equipped with a strong brake to assist with slowing and stopping the train. From here, the guard can keep an eye on the train in case of problems, such as hot axle boxes, or trucks becoming uncoupled while running. Biography The Railway Series Stepney used one of these brake vans to help transport four cricket players and Caroline to the Elsbridge Cricket Field after she had broken downThe Railway Series: Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine "Train Stop Play". Thomas & Friends These brake vans are commonly seen on the back of goods and freight trains. They serve as Sodor's main type of brake van. The brake vans have also been used as part of the Mail Train, the Flying Kipper and the Circus Train. A van, part of a goods train, was once waiting on a siding to let Henry and the Flying Kipper pass. The engine's crew were enjoying cocoa in the brake van. As snow had forced the signal and points to fail, Henry collided straight into the train at full speed and unable to stop. Luckily, the crew had left the train and avoided the crashSeries 1 "The Flying Kipper (episode)". One of these brake vans (along with the Troublesome Trucks) broke away from their engine Edward, and chased Duck down Gordon's Hill. The trucks had bumped their guard off his brake-van, and left him far behind after he had whistled a warning. Duck and his crew bravely attempted to take control of the train, but crashed through barber shopSeries 2 "A Close Shave". The Spiteful Brake Van, another van of this design, caused grief for James, Donald and Douglas. In an attempt to cause trouble for James, he urged the Troublesome Trucks to hold the train back. Douglas was called to help James' train up Gordon's Hill. However, the van found himself wedged between Douglas and the rest of the train. The guard jumped clear as the van was subsequently crushed by DouglasSeries 2 "Break Van". When Percy's train of Troublesome Trucks barged forward and push him down the line and into a train of stone trucks, he destroyed a stationary brake van and perched himself on top of the remains of a truckSeries 2 "Percy's Predicament". Bill and Ben once took a party of railway enthusiasts in a "brake van special" for a tour of the China Clay WorksSeries 2 "Edward's Exploit". Personality A large majority of brake vans are non-sentient. However, there are at least three known vans depicted with faces. In summary, they are described as being spiteful, elderly, and troublesome respectively. Known sentient brake vans: File:MainSpitefulBrakeVanModel.png|The Spiteful Brake Van File:ElderyBrakevanGallery.png|The Elderly Brake Van File:TroublesomeBrakevanModel.png|A troublesome brake van Technical Details Basis These brake vans are based on the real BR Standard 20 Ton vans. The Elderly Brake Van and Spiteful Brake Van (TV version) share the same basis. File:BRStandard20TonBrakeVan.jpg|An BR Standard 20 Ton van in real life Livery In the Railway Series, one of these brake vans is painted brown with a white roof and red bufferbeams. File:BrakevanRWS.png|A brown brake van in the Railway Series In the television series, these brake vans are commonly painted in different shades of grey. But they have also been seen in dark brown, dark blue, and dark purple. File:BrakevanModel.png|A grey brake van File:Brakevan1.png|A grey brake van with a white roof File:Brakevan2.png|A dark brown brake van File:Brakevan3.png|A dark blue brake van File:SchoolofDuck57.png|A dark purple brake van Appearances Railway Series= |-|Television Series= |-|Other Media= Trivia * To date, the Spiteful Brake Van, the Elderly Brake Van and the brake van in the second series episode, A Close Shave are the only known brake vans of this design to have faces. * A few brake vans are on display: one at Drayton Manor, and at the Hara Model Railway Museum. * Between the eighth and fifteen series, brake vans were rarely seen. Since the sixteenth series, however, brake vans have been seen more often again. * The brake vans seen from the first to the fifth series were made out of modified Tenmille gauge one kits. These kits are still distributed by Tenmille today. * In the episode Percy's Predicament, the brake van that Percy collides into is missing its duckets. Merchandise * Wooden Railway (as the Spiteful Brake Van; discontinued) * Motor Road and Rail (discontinued outside Asia) * TrackMaster * Thomas Engine Collection Series (with Post coach; discontinued) * Bachmann (HO and large scale) * Hornby (two versions; brown and grey; grey discontinued) * Pocket Fantasy (discontinued) References Category:Brake vans Category:Rolling stock Category:Standard gauge Category:North Western Railway Category:Other railways